Just a few stories about me on my struggles and searches to become a modern Gypsy - I just want to see the world, is that too much to ask?

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Oh, Vicious Cycle

As a young job hunter living in the UK I would like to let everyone know that recruitment agencies and potential employers suck.
Let me give you a little background information.

I haven't received any qualifications other than my highers and if I heed the warnings that are being published in newspapers daily, it's possible that I might not bother getting any. Unfortunately, without getting a degree of some sort I am doomed to packing shelves in Tesco or answering a telephone in a contact centre, in which cases, I'll not be earning more than, say between £13000-£15500. Now, a job is a job is a job. I know. I appreciate being employed and getting a stable wage on which to rely. It's fabulous. However, earning what I'm earning, makes it pretty hard to live.

Thing is, as a young adult you are urged from every angle not to study tertiary education because there simply aren't enough employment opportunities to handle the enourmous influx of newly-graduated young adults, BUT you can't possibly get a good job and earn a decent wage unless you have qualifications.

Oh, oh!! And another eternally annoying sentence to be read on job advertisements is " relevant experience for this role is a requirement". Well, isn't that just bl**dy fantastic? How on earth am I to gain any experience if NO ONE will hire me without my having any experience??

Do you have any idea how tremendously frustrating it is to be rejected for so many jobs because you don't have the relevant experience required and then not being able to get the blinking experience they keep asking of you because you are unhirable because of having no experience?

I ask you! How on earth can you be expected to work!? Left right and centre I have folk whinging in my ear about everyone being on benefits but really, it's not an easy task to undertake.

I am 20 years old, I am over 6000 miles from my family and I need to survive by myself in this big scary world. I moved back to Scotland in September, 2011. I managed this giantly courageous trek across the world all by my lonesome when I was 19 years old. I'm a proud, confident and forward young woman. I'm capable and smart and I don't scare easily. Despite all this, the only work I can get is as a waitress in a miniscule little coffee shop.

I've been here over a year and it has been nothing more than a struggle. I can't even better myself through some sort of education as I lived abroad all my life and (despite being a Bitish national) cannot study in Scotland until I have been in residence for 3 years. On the wage that I am currently earning, I can't buy groceries or make any new additions to my wardrobe in the same month. I simply couldn't afford the costs of any education or the travel and stationery costs it might incur.

I would like to appeal to any readers I might have. If you are an employer, recruiter or are looking to hire any new staff. If someone applies for the position and they don't have the experience you are asking of your applicants, if they look responsible and capapble and like they truly want and need the job. GIve it to them. Every action you make in life has a consequence. It might be unnoticable or hugely obvious, either way it's a consequence. Giving someone a chance could be the big break they need.

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About Me

Okay so, I'm from South Africa. I desperately want to travel - especially if the world is ending in 2012. Hence the blog title "aspiring gypsy", I wasn't talking about theft. Even though the stereotype that gypsies are thieves is a gross generalisation. Omg. If the world ends before I can see a few other places I wil be pissed. Seriously, that's annoying!I am also a lover of literature. I like cake and new socks. Yeah, that pretty much sums up "Deva" and yes, that is my real name; and yes, my parents were smoking pot when they named me... or at least the one who won the "what-to-name-the-baby-argument" was.